Needle-loom.



E. E. WAITE.

NEEDLE lLOOM. APPLICATION FILED ocT. z5. IsIIsA l IQQGQGQ., Patented Mar.4,1919.

' E. E. WAITE.

NEEDLE LOOM.

APPLICATION vFILED ocr. 25. |915.

l,2-96,025 Pated Mar. 4,1919

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E. E. WAITE.

NEEDLE LOOM. "APPLICATION FILED ocT. 25, IsIs. 1,296,025.. Patented Mar. 4,1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 34 E. E. WAITE.

NEEDLE Loom.

V APPLICATION flLED OCT. 25\ |915. f 19296,@25., Patented Mar. 4,1919.

FFF.

EDWIN E. WAITE, F FRAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 STANDARD WOVEN FABRIC COMPANY, OF FRAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, A COR- PORATION 0F MASSACHUSETTS.

NEEDLE-LOOM.

specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 4t, 1919.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, EDWIN- E. WAITE, a citizen o-f the United States, residing at Framingham, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Needle-Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters oln the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.`

v This invention relates to looms and is particularly concerned withlooms designed to weave narrow fabrics and goods of the character known generally as mechanical fabrics, including` brakelinings, straps, belting, etc.

Narrow ,woven fabrics of this character are now manufactured almost universally in looms of the general character employed to manufacture wider goods. The output of these machines, however, is limited by the speed at which the shuttle can be driven and so much time is lost in the starting and stopping of the shuttle, and in shutdowns due to breaking of the threads or necessitated by the replacing of the bobbin or cop inthe shuttle that the rate of production is exceedingly low. It has been attempted heretofore to overcome this difliculty by inserting the weft with areciprocating needle instead of with a shuttle, thus taking advantage of the fact that a. needle can be operated at a very much higher speed than a shuttle, particularly on narrow goods when the stroke of the weft inserting relatively short.` Machines of this character usey substantially the common type of warp supporting and operating mechanism and because of their peculiar method of inserting the weft have sometimes been termed needle looms. Such looms ofcourse lay a double length of weft in each shed of the warp,

' thus forming a loop at theend of each of these double lengths, andin order to lock the series of loops so formed agalnst raveling, a shuttle is employed to run a selvage thread through each loop as 1t is'formed.

' These machines also have encountered the diiiculty of requirmg very4 frequent shutdowns to renew the bobbin in the shuttle handling 4the selvage thread and this, with other diiiicultes, has prevented machines of this type from going into commercial use to any substantial' extent.

device is The present invention is directed to looms of the general type just described and has for its chief object the elimination ofthe difficulties heretofore experienced with machines of this character. The inventionl is particularly concerned with the mechanism for locking the loops of the weft along one selvage edge against raveling and aims 4to devise a mechanism of this character which can be operated at a high speed and which will not require the use of a shuttle. The

invention also is directed to a novel construction of reed and operating and supporting mechanism therefor which enable the machine to be operated at a higher speed than couldbe obtained with the usual reed mechanism. J'

The various features of the invention will be readily understood from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying this invention;

Fig. is a front elevation of the machine shown 1n Fig. 1, certain parts however bein broken away;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View on the line 3 3,

Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a the reed illustrating its path of movement; Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the reed;

. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of part of the weft inserting and locking Vmechanism showing one step in the process of locking the loops of the weft against raveling;

Figs. 7 to 10, inclusive, are plan lviews partly 'in section showing additional steps in the process of locking the loops of the weft against raveling;

Fig. 11 is a front elevationof the selvage thread positioner and selvage needle in the poitions in which they appear in Fig. 7 an Fig. 12 is an edge view showing' substantially the selvage of a single-ply fabric manufactured on the machine.

The machine shown for the purpose of eX- plaining the invention resembles in its general organization that shown in my application Serial No. 38,269,1iled' July 6, 1915, for improvements in needleV looms. vThe present machine employs a warp holding and operating mechanism and a weft inserting mechanism substantially like that shown in my earlier application. In the present machine, however, the series of loops of the weft formed along one selvage edge by ,the weft inserting means are locked against raveling by an auxiliary or selvage thread independent of the warp and weft whereas the machine shown in my earher application was designed to so manipulate the loops of the weft as to interlock them with each other and avoid the use of a separate selvage thread. i

The illustrated machine comprises a warp holding and operating mechanism ywhich includes a set of harnesses 2 mounted for vertical reciprocating movement in suitable guideways supported in the machine frame 4. Each of these harnesses has connected to its lower end a link 6 which is pivotally v` connected with the forward end of one of a series of levers 8 all fulcrumed on a horizontal lever shaft 9 and each carrying a counter-balance weight 10. Each of these levers carries a roll that is operated by one of a series of cams 12, all secured side by side. on a horizontal shaft 14 which is supported in suitable bearings secured to the machine frame and which carries on its forward end a worm wheel 15 meshing with a worm 16 that -is secured to a main shaft 17 supported horizontally 'in suitable bearings and lying at right angles to the shaft 14. This shaft 17 carries a loose pulley 18 which may be belted to any convenient source of power and which carries a clutch element designed to coperate with a companion clutch element securedto one face .of a hand wheel 20 that is keyed to but can slide longitudinally of the shaft 17. A bell crank lever 22, fulcrumed on the machine frame is designed to have one arm connected to a foot treadle or similar controlling element and has its other arm so, connected with the hand wheel 20 that it can slide this wheel toward or from the pulley 18 and thus movethe slida'ble clutch element into or out of clutching relationship to the driven element. The cams 12 operate through their respective levers 8 and links 6 to move the harnesses 2 up and down in their guideways and are of course timed to give to the harnesses the movements necessary to effect the desired movements of the warp threads and the binders.

The. harnesses 2 are provided with suitable heddles (notshown) and a spool or cop supporting rack (not shown) is provided to hold the spools orcops from which the warp threads and binders are unwound, or the warp and binders may be unwound from beams. When the machine is drawn in, that is, when the warp threads and binders are properly arranged on their supports and in the harnesses for the weaving operation, the warp and binding threads pass from the harnesses through a stationthe shaft 30 by means of a ratchet wheel 31 fast on the shaft 30 engaging a pawl 32 pivoted on the top of a hand wheel 33 that rotates with the worm 29. This driving mechanism enables an operator to rotate the cloth beam 26 backwardly to slack ofi' the web of fabric whenever desired for any reason simply by turning the hand wheel 33 in a direction opposite to the direction in which it is normally driven by the connections just described. The shaft 30 carries a worm wheel that meshes with the Worm 16 on the main shaft 17 and serves to drive the shaft 30. The periphery of the cloth beam 26 is provided with a series of pins to enable it to grip the fa'bric -as it is Woven. A guide roll 34 is mounted slightly below and in front of the cloth beam 26 in position to press the web of fabric X (see Fig. 3) against the cloth beam 26. In order'to permit the easy removal of thisA roll 34 it is mounted on a short shaft 35 that rotates freelyin two slots 36 (see Figs. 2 and 3) positioned at op osite sides of the roll, this shaft normally being held in the slots by a pair of pins 37 which can readily be removed, thus allowing the roll and its shaft to be slipped out of the slots.

Just back of the cloth beam 26 a pair cl' horizontal guide rods 38 are mounted, between which the web of fabric X passes 011 itsway to the cloth beam.

The warp supporting and operating mechaf nism above described is arranged to shed the warp, the shed lying between the harnesses and the guide rods 38. A needle 40 is mounted in suitable horizontal guides to reciprocate back and forth through the shed and this needle is utilizedto insert the weft.

The operating mechanism for this needle through a tension vdevice 50 to a takeupV roll 52 rotatably mounted on the rear end of the nedle 40, and then through a stationary thread gu'ide 54 tothe eye 49 of the needle. Any suitable form of threadten-l sion device maybe used, that shown consisting of two rolls which are pressed yield- :imacat ingly together by a spring and between which the thread is guided as it is fed for; ward. j

The mechanism so far described is, with the exception of the reeds 24: and 25 and some minor changes in the driving mechanism for the cloth beam, substantially identical with that shown and described in my earlier application for limprovements in needle looms.

As above indicated, the weft inserting needle 40 is operative to lay a double length of weft in each shed, leaving a loop in the end of each of said lengths at the side of the shed opposite to that from which' the needle enters and a novel stitch forming mechanism is employed to lock the loops so formed against raveling. This mechanism comprises a selvage needle 60 lcoperating with a thread positioner 70 to manipulate a selvage thread s, independent of the Warp and weft, in such a manner as to form a series of chain stitches through the loops ofthe weft. The needle 60 has a hook at its forward end and a latch 61 is pivoted in the shank of the needle just back of the hook so that it can swing into' a forward position where it closes the opening in the hook, or into a rearward position parallel to the shank ofthe needle where it leaves the hook open.L4 This needle is mounted in a suitable holder formed in the upper end of a bell crank lever 62 which rocks on a shaft 63 and carries at its end oppositev the needle 60 a roll running in the cam path of a cam 64 e faston the main shaft 17. This cam operates through the lever 62 to ive the needle 60 a reciprocating movement ack and forth in substantially a horizontal plane and just under the forward end of the path of movement of the needle 40. The upper end of the lever 62runs in a vertical slot formed in a bracket 65 support-ed in the machine frame, which serves to support the lever arm against lateral movement out of its proper ath.

The t read positioner comprises a U- shaped member mounted on the end of a shaft 7l which is supported in suitable bearings and is rocked by connections with a cam 72 fast on the shaft 17, these connections comprising an arm 73 fast on the shaft 71 and a link 74: that connects this arm with the upper end of a bell crank lever 75 fulcrumed on the shaft 63 and carrying a. roll running in a cam path formed in the -cam 72. The selvage thread .s lis guided from a supply roll or cone through a thread tensioning device 77 similar to the device 50 over a takeup roll 78 operated by the spring 79 to the eye 80 of the part 70 (see Fig. 8). This thread next passes over a shoulder forming a part of the surface of a curved notch cut in the end 82 of one arm 83 of the Usshape'd thread positioner 70 and then goes to the hook of `the selvage needle 60. The end 82 of the arm 83 is bent in slightly, as best shown in Figs. 6 to 9, into the space between the arms of the U-shaped member 7 0 so that this end 82 and the shoulder Aabove mentioned lie almost in line with the thread guiding eye that is formed through the horizontal member or bridge pieceof the U-shaped part 70. The arm 83 is made very thin and is so positioned with reference to the path of travel of the needle 60 that this needle can move into the space between this arm and the plane of the eye 80, as shown in Figs. 7 and 11.

Positioned'close beside thel part 83 and 60 is a vertical stationary plate 85 supported by the reed 24. and provided 4with a v long narrow aperture 86 through which the end of the needle 40 passes on its forward stroke. The aperture 86l extends substantially from a point back of the path of movement of the needle 40 to a point about opposite-the ends of the two guide rods 38. -When the machine is in operation the warp holding and operating mechanism formsa shed between the harnesses and the guide rods 38, as above stated, and the vertical `bars of the stationary reed 24 hold the adjacent sets of superposed warp threads properly separated from each other. The plates 25 of the movable reed lie normally' just in front of the corresponding plates of the reed 24 and are spaced apart by the same distances that separate the plates of the reed 24. The weft inserting needle 40 is advanced through the shed and through the aperture 86, as indicated in Figs. 6 and-7, until it reaches substantially the position in which it is shown in Fig. 7 at the forward limit of its stroke. In this position the eye .49 of the needle is advanced considerably past the opening 86 in the plate 85 and consequently the needle at this time holds the part of the weft thread 1v in the shed in a Vv-shape, the apex of the V lying at the left of the plate as the parts are seen in Fig. 7 .I This movement Iof the needle 40 locates a loop of the weftnin position for the selvage needle 60 t move through it and the operating mechanism for the latter needle advances it, as shown in Fig. `6, at the same time that the needle 40 is being advanced. The selvage' needle'thus is caused to slide just under theV needle 40 behind the eye 49 and through the loop of weft now positioned by the needle 40 until it arrives in substantially the position in which it is shown in upright position as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 so that it holds the selvage thread s in the position indicated in these figures and in Fig. 11, thus permitting the selvage needle 60 to move under the shouldered end 82 and into a position between ythe arm 83 of the threadwardly, as indicated in Fig. 8. While this movement of the selvage needle isl taking place the weft needle 40 is returning or moving backwardly to its initial position at the side ofthe shed opposite to the plate 85. The weft 'w is looped about the shank of the selvage needle at this time7 as indicated in Fig. 8 at a. As the selvage needle 60 retires from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 7 to that in which it appears in Fig. 8 and then to that shogwn n Fig. 9, it forms a loop c in the selvage thread s and carries this loop through the loop a of weft that encircles its shank and also lthrough a loop b of the selvage thread which has been formed at the previous cycle of operations and which at this time also encircles the shank of the selvage needle. The latch 61, of course,v

closes as soon as it comes .in contact with the first loop on its shank and enables the loops a and b to slide freely over the hooked end of the needle. When this needle arrives in the position in which it is shown in Fig. 9 it has pulled the loop c of the selvage threads entirely7 through the loops a and b. By this time the weft inserting needle 40 has returned to nearly the rearward limit 'of its stroke. Durin this return movement the weft fw renders reely through the eye k49 of the needle until the takeup roll 52 .on the rear end of the needle has tightened all the slack inthe weft. The further rearward' movement of this .needle of course causes the rol-l 52 to tighten this slack weft l'thread lying between the tension device 52 and the fell of cloth and consequently it pulls up this entire length of weft and therefore shortens vthe double length which it has last laid in the shed, pulling it up from about the condition in .which it i's shown .in

Fig. 9 to'su'bstantially that shown in F1 10. Of course when this tension on the slac weft exceeds a certain amount, it operates to pull additional weft from the `supply roll or cop through the tension device 50 and thus feeds -of substantially the length required for the next pick. This tightening of the weft is a very desirable operation and serves to pull in towardthe selvage end of the fabric both the loops a and b that preaandoet viously have encircled the shankof the selvage needle 60. While the selvage needle is mov-ing backwardly, as indicated in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, the thread positioner 70 swings down into a horizontal position, as shown in Figs. 8 and A9, thus. releasing the selvage thread and facilitating the formation of the loop by the selvage needle.v The harnesses now change and the reed 25 beats up the last double length of weft laid in by the needle 40. f

One cycle of operations of the weft inserting means and the stitchfforming mechanism has now been completed and both. the weft inserting needle 40 and the selvage needle 60 next advance toward the positions in which they are shown in Fig. 6 to perform their next cycle of operations. As the needle 60 moves forward the loop c of the selvage thread, vwhich has just been pulled through the loops a and b, is still held by the needle and While the needle advances,4

shown in Fig. 6, thus positioning the vselvage thread s for the next engagement therewith of the hook of the needle 60. Inasmuch as one end of the selvage thread s is now bound into the selvage of the fabric b the loops -of the weft, this thread wi l be stretched between the selvage of the fabric X and the shouldered end 82 of the thread positioner 70.' During the movement of the thread positioner from its horizontal to its vertical osition it feeds through the tension device 7'? substantially the length of thread required for the next stitch forming operation'. A spring ressed takeup roll 78 maintains the entire ength of selvage thread between'the device 77 and the selvage 'of the cloth under tension. It will be readily understood that the chief function of the member 70 is to position the selvage thread for the proper engagement therewith of the hooked end ofthe selvageneedle 60, thus cooperating with this needle to form a loop in the selvage thread whichis pulled throughw -the loop of weft vas the Weftis ,laid in by the with a series of chain stitches along one selvage edge ofthe fabric, these stitches extending, respectively, through the loops of weft and thus locking them against ravelyio the needle 40. The weft is locked at the opposite selvage edge of the fabric by the crossings for intersections of the.warp .in the same manner that it is locked in an piece of goods.

As soon as the weft inserting needle 40 has laidin a double length of weft in the yso l ported in suitable bearings.

shed and has moved" out of the path of the movable reed 25 0n its return stroke, this reed is swung forward by its operating mechanism to beat up .the pick of the weft just inserted. It is obvious that, if the usual type of reed were employed it would be necessary for vthis reed to make its operative or beating stroke and then to complete its return stroke, or in other words, to move back t0 a position behind the path of movement of the needle before this needle could advance again to make the next pick. In order to permit the more rapid operation of these parts a novel construction of reed and a novel supporting and .operating mechanism for it has been devised by which the reed is moved on its return stroke in a path that avoids the path of movement of the needle 40. Consequently the needle 40 is enabled to advance as soon as the reed has swung forward out of the path of the needle. The

reed shown comprises a supporting head 90 carrying a series of plates indicated at 25 which extend vertically into the shed and are separated from each other by such distances that the plates can project between the -sets of superposed warp threads in the shed, the space between these places being open at the upper end of the reed so that the reed can move vertically in the shed as well as longitudinally of it. The head 90 is formed on the upper end of a long lever arm 92 thatcarries between its ends an eccentric strap running on an eccentric 93 fast on the main shaft 17. This lever arm is bifurcated at its lower end to form a uideway in which a block 94 is received, this block being rotatably mounted on a short shaft 95 sup- It is obvious that this mechanism will cause any given pointon the reed-215 to move in an elliptical path as best indicated in Fig. 4 and in a direction indicated by the arrows in said iigure. The path of movement of the reed is so located with reference to the path of the needle 40 that on its forward or beating stroke, the reed crosses the -path of the neeordinary dle, thus sweeping ahead of it the last double length of weft laid in by the needle 40 and then returns to a position behind theneedle 40 again along a path that drops below the needle and consequently avoids any interference with the needle.

It is obvious that many changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the essential characteristics of the invention and accordingly I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction shown. Obviously some features of the invention, particularly the reed `mechanism, could be usedto advantage with looms of other kinds, such for instance as the needle loom shown in my earlier application, or needle looms .in which a shuttle is employed. Some of the advantages of the present invention also could be obtained by v using a stitch forming mechanism that includes a shiittle, particularly 1n manufacturing fabricsof a nature permitting the use of end of each of said lengths at the side of the shed opposite to that at which the needle enters the shed, a latch needle mounted at the side of the shed at which said loop is positioned, operating mechanism for said latch needle constructed and arranged to move it back and forth from a point adjacent to the apex of the shed through each loop of weft as sit is positioned by said weft needle, and means for positioning a selvage thread for the enga ement therewith of said latch needle comprising a part operated to engage the thread and move it into position to bo grasped by said latchrneedle and then to be moved out of engagement with said thread, said thread positioninnr means being arranged to coperate with said latch needle to manipulate said selvage thread to form therewith a series of chain stitches through the loops at the ends ofl said double lengths of weft.

2. In a needle loom, the combination with warp holding and operating mechanism constructed and arranged to shed the warp, of weft inserting means comprising a reciprocating needle operative to lay a. double length of weft in each shed leaving a loop in the end of said length at' the side of the shed op osite to that from which-the needle enters t e shed, a latch needle mounted at the side of the shed at Which said loop is made for movement transversely to the direction of motion of said weft inserting needle, operating mechanism for said latch needle arranged to move it through each loop of the weft as it is positioned by said weft needle, and a rocking thread positioner coperating With said latch needle to ma,

nipulate a separat-e selvage thread and form therewith a series of stitches through the series of loops at the ends of said double lengths of weft.

3. ln a needle loom, the combination With Warp holding and operating mechanism constructed and arranged to shed the Warp, of

lweft inserting means comprising a needle constructed to carry a Weft thread and mounted to reciprocate through the shed,

operating mechanism for said needle oper-` ative to 'cause the needle to lay a double length of Weft in each shed leaving a loop in the end of each of said lengths at the side of the shed o posite to that at which the needle enters t e shed, a plate positioned at right angles to the direction of movement ofsaid needle at the side of the shed at which said loops are formed and, provided with an aperture through which said needle moves, and a stitch formingmechanism positioned at the side of said plate opposite to the shed andoperative to manipulate a selvage thread to form therewith a series of chain stitches through the loops at the ends of said double lengths of weft, said stitch forming mechanism including a latch needle and means for reciprocating it through eachV loop of the weft as said loopis positioned by said weft inserting needle.

- 4:. In a needle loom, the combination with Warp holding and operating mechanism constructed and arranged to shed the Warp,

of weft inserting means comprising a needle constructed to carry a weft thread and mounted to reciprocate through the shed, operating mechanism for said needle operative to cause the needle to lay a double length of weft in each shed leaving a loop inthe end of each of said lengths at the side of the shed opposite to that at which the needle enters the shed, a plate positioned at right angles to the direction of movement of said needle at the side of the shed at Which said loops are formed and provided With an aperture through vvhich said needle moves, a hook-shaped selvage needle mounted close to said plate at the side thereof opposite to said shed, supporting and operating means for said selvage needle arranged to move it through each loop of the weft as it is positioned by said weft inserting needle, said selvage needle being constructed to manipulate a selvage thread and having a latch mounted to open or close the openlng in its hook, a rocking thread positioner mounted in front of said selvage needle, and operating mechanism for said positioner constructed and arranged to cause it to so position said selvage thread as to enable said selvage needle to grasp said thread upon its forward stroke and form a loop therein, said positioner being operative to release said thread While said selvage needle draws said loop through a loop in the weft and through another loop previously formed in said selvage thread.

ln testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specication.

EDWIN E. WAITE. 

